New York, NY (Top40 Charts) When Game
Theory emerged with their fourth full-length release in 1987, there was not only a new line-up of the band, but it took two LPs to capture all of the magic. Once again produced by Mitch Easter (R.E.M., Pavement, Let's Active),
Lolita Nation was the culmination of all that had come before, and pushed the boundaries far further than Game
Theory had gone before.
Lolita Nation became their most critically acclaimed work — grabbing a Bay Area
Music Award (BAMMY) nomination for Outstanding Independent Label Album in 1988. It has since been revered as a classic by fans and critics, though — sadly — it has remained out of print for quarter of a century.
As Omnivore Recordings continues to reintroduce this seminal band to the masses,
Lolita Nation now requires a second CD to collect alternate mixes, live recordings, and radio sessions. The original's 27 tracks are joined by 21 bonus performances. In addition to the previously unheard and much sought-after eight-minute version of "Chardonnay" and illuminating alternate mixes of key album tracks, the bonus material features covers of
David Bowie, The
Modern Lovers, Sex Pistols, Elvis Costello, The Smiths, The Stooges, Joy Division, The Hollies, and Public Image Ltd. Classics and a never before heard song by Scott Miller from
Lolita Nation era. Truly as eclectic and all-encompassing as
Lolita Nation itself, and just as revolutionary.
Omnivore's deluxe reissue of
Lolita Nation will be available February 5, 2016 as a double CD,
Digital and double LP (first pressing on translucent dark green vinyl, with black to follow). The LP contains a download card for the entire 48-track CD program. All formats feature new liner notes from Okkervil River's Will Sheff, interviews with the band and original album contributors and previously unseen photos.
Reissue co-producer Dan Vallor notes: "Lolita Nation is the middle child of Game Theory's San Francisco period. The three albums of this era are like an advancing, engulfing, and receding aural storm, with
Lolita Nation its tempest. The Big Shot Chronicles has warmth and elegance, but also sadness and anger expressed in ways that Scott Miller hadn't mined before. It's like a child's eyes opening to coming maturity, seeing the world as new and different and romantic; yet also a provocation to petulance and indignation." (Reissues of both Big Shot Chronicles and Two
Steps From the Middle Ages will be forthcoming to round out the core catalog).
The story of Scott Miller and Game
Theory has been eloquently chronicled in
Brett Milano's recently published book, Don't All Thank Me at Once: The Lost Pop Genius of Scott Miller, and a SXSW 2016 panel titled "No One's Twisting His Arm: Game Theory's Scott Miller," composed of producer Dan Vallor, band member Gil Ray, Omnivore's Cheryl Pawelski with author
Brett Milano slated to complete the panel.
"Lolita Nation is a head-spinning classic" —Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone
"I most strongly recommend
Lolita Nation as being the most challenging and provocative record of the decade."—Dave Woytak, The Express, 1987
"Miller has intensified his approach to bone-jarring effect, somehow wrenching from his soul a collection of work that ranks with the best music of the '80s. Period."—Stuart Batsford, Bucketfull of Brains, U.K., 1987
"Lolita Nation is Game Theory's most ambitious effort yet … Miller has come up with a striking collection of pop-based tunes, giving them enough of a twist to keep
Lolita Nation absorbing over the length of four sides. Here for a change, is a double album set with too much good stuff to fit on one record."
—Steve Stolder, BAM, 1987
Track Listing:
Disc One:
1. Kenneth-What's The Frequency?
2. Not Because You Can
3. Shard
4. Go Ahead, You're Dying To
5. Dripping With Looks
6. Exactly What We Don't Want To Hear
7. We Love You Carol And Alison
8. The Waist And The Knees
9. Nothing New
10. The World's Easiest Job
11. Look Away
12. Slip
13. The Real Shelia
14. Andy In Ten Years
15. Watch Who You're
Calling Space
Garbage Meteor Mouth • Pretty Green Card Shark
16. Where They Have To Let You In
17. Turn Me On Dead Man
18. Mammoth Gardens
19.
Little Ivory
20. Museums Of Hopelessness
21. Toby Ornette
22. All Clockwork And No Bodily Fluids Makes Hal A Dull Metal Humbert • In
Heaven Every Elephant Baby Wants To Be So Full Of
Sting •
Paul Simon In The Park With Canticle • But You Can't Pick Your
Friends • Vaccuum
Genesis • Defmacros • Howsometh • Ingdotime • Salengths • Omethingl • Etbfollow • Aafternoo • Ngetprese • Ntmomenti • Fthingswo • Ntalwaysb • Ethiswayt • Bcacausea • Bwasteaft • Ernoonwhe • Neqbmeret • Urnfromsh • Owlittleg • Reenplace • 27
23. One More For Saint Michael
24. Choose Between Two Sons
25. Chardonnay
26. Last Day That We're Young
27. Together Now, Very Minor
Disc Two
1. Chardonnay (Long Version)
2. Dripping With Looks (Rough Mix W/ Alternate Vocal)
3. One More For St. Michael (Live)
4. Carrie Anne (Live)
5. The Waist And The Knees (Rehearsal Demo)
6. Tiny
Steps (Radio Session)
7. We Love You Carol And Alison (Radio Session)
8. Gimme Danger (Radio Session)
9. Love Will Tear Us Apart (Live)
10. Andy In Ten Years (Rough Mix W/ Alternate Vocal)
11. Candidate (Live)
12.
Little Ivory (Rehearsal Demo)
13. These Things Take Time (Radio Session)
14. Roadrunner (Live)
15. One More For St. Michael (Rough Mix W/ Alternate Vocal)
16. God Save The
Queen (Radio Session)
17. Drive-In Saturday (Radio Session)
18. Public Image (Live)
19. The Waist And The Knees (Rough Mix W/ Alternate Vocal)
20. Together Now, Very Minor (Radio Session)
21. Choose Between Two Sons
